Trimble Funeral Home has received National and Local Recognition

American Funeral Director Magazine: Funeral Director of the Year Runners-up, 2015

Quad Cities Chamber: 2015 Innovation Award

Trimble is one of Seven Illinois Funeral Homes recognized as superior by the National Funeral Directors Association

Trimble
Funeral Home & Crematory has been honored by the National Funeral Directors
Association (NFDA) with the 2016 Pursuit of Excellence Award. Just over 160
firms from around the world, and only seven firms in Illinois, received this
prestigious recognition, placing Trimble Funeral Home among an elite group of
funeral service providers. Pursuit of Excellence Award recipients raise the bar
on funeral service excellence by adhering to the highest ethical and
professional standards and providing unsurpassed service to families and
communities.

Eric and Reid Trimble are runners-up in 2015 Funeral Director of the Year Award from American Funeral Director Magazine

Trimble Pointe Companies is the recipient of the Quad Cities Chamber 2015 Innovation Award for their display of creativity and innovation.

The Quad Cities Chamber announcd the recipients of the 2015 Community Impact awards which honor the individuals and businesses that are helping bolster the Iowa-Illinois Quad Cities’ as a cool, creative, and prosperous place to live and work. Recipients were recognized at the Community Impact Awards celebration on Thursday, May 28, 2015 at the Stern Center, 1713 3rd Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois.

"Every day, people in the Quad Cities are making strides to strengthen their businesses and this community. Together those steps add up to a big impact,” says Tara Barney, President & CEO, Quad Cities Chamber. "These awards recognize those businesses and individuals who are doing exceptional work in areas of attracting young talent, making the Quad Cities a better place to live, and using creativity and innovation to build a stronger company and community.”

Trimble Pointe Companies is the recipient of the 2015 Innovation Award for their display of creativity and innovation. Trimble Pointe Companies is a family owned local business that has quickly adjusted to market opportunities. The professional staff is trained to assist with a ‘we will take care of everything’ mantra to help all clients plan for their event, whether it is a funeral or celebration of life, volunteer recognition event, wedding reception, class reunion, or any other occasion.

Trimble Pointe Companies reinvented their entire business model when the I-74 bridge project required that they change the location of their business. “The Interstate-74 bridge project is one of the most expensive public work projects in our region’s history. For some businesses in the path of progress, it was the end of an era. For Trimble Pointe Companies, the winner of this year’s Innovation Award at the 2015 Community Impact Awards, it was an opportunity to reinvent their entire business model,” said Ms. Barney.

Barbara and Eric Trimble, their daughter Amy, and their son Reid envision the four-company group that forms Trimble Companies: Trimble Funeral Home & Crematory, CityView Celebrations, Watermark Corners, and Veterans Funeral Care, as a service that allows everyone in the Quad Cities to celebrate any milestone of life.

Trimble Pointe is a two-story event center which opened in August, 2014, and is designed to provide complete facilities for all of life’s events. “Funerals and related activities are the major use of the building, but not the exclusive use,” said Barbara Trimble. Trimble Pointe has hosted as many as four events on one day, ranging from funeral luncheons and service club meetings, to public television’s character breakfast, a ballet gala and performance, a symphony reception and piano recital, a public school foundation dinner, a YMCA fund-raising reception, as well as class reunions, birthday parties, graduation parties, rehearsal dinners and bridal showers.

“We are seeing a dramatic change in the manner in which families was to celebrate their loved one’s life”, said Eric Trimble. With a fully licensed bar and catering facilities, Trimble offers funeral families hospitality visitations or celebration of life receptions. “While not for every family, these type of events meet the needs of some who would not otherwise have a funeral.”

Comfortable and Comforting

Reid Trimble says the change in business model was met with some initial public hesitation. "There was a husband whose wife planned him a surprise birthday party at CityView,” Trimble says. "The entire way to the party she had him convinced it was for a friend. The whole way there he was saying he couldn’t believe someone would want to have a party at a funeral home.” Trimble finishes, "But on the way out I heard him say that he wants to have his birthday with us every year.”

In addition to the event space, the Trimbles have taken the opportunity to further expand the end-of-life services they offer. Built into the building is a crematory allowing families to know that their loved ones will never leave the care of Trimble once entrusted to them. The small café located on the main floor serves coffee, soda, and bite-sized snacks adding an extra level of comfort. Reid Trimble explains the café is a necessity for grieving families.

"Our goal is to make them feel comfortable and comforted,” says Trimble. "You would not believe the amount of people who come in for a funeral and just want a soda. It makes them feel more comfortable.” Trimble finishes, "We wanted to be able to provide that service.”

Eric Trimble stated “The award for innovation is particularly meaningful to our family because, at 141 years, we are one of the oldest family-owned businesses in the region and in an industry that is slow to change. We are gratified that the community has endorsed our vision of a multi-use facility “for all of life’s events.”